BBC bosses have told staff the corporation ‘will not tolerate behavior that falls below the standards we expect’ as it grapples with the allegations against MasterChef star Gregg Wallace.
The company says it will continue to advocate for “a culture that is kind, inclusive and respectful” after Wallace withdrew from the show after more than a dozen women made allegations of misconduct against him.
Co-host John Torode repeatedly raised concerns about Wallace’s inappropriate behavior, but no action was taken, according to reports.
After the first allegations were reported last week, further claims have surfaced – with one woman claiming Wallace groped her, while another said he pressed his crotch against her while filming the BBC show Eat Well For Less.
Meanwhile, a third person has come forward claiming he flashed her in his dressing room. Wallace is being investigated by Banijay UK, the producers of MasterChef, who have brought in City firm Lewis Silkin to lead the investigation.
In an email sent to BBC staff on Friday, Director General Tim Davie and Chief Content Officer Charlotte Moore said they would support Banijay UK in their investigation.
They said: ‘We will not tolerate behavior that does not meet the standards we expect and we will continue to advocate for a culture that is kind, inclusive and respectful.’
Today’s email to staff started by describing the past week as “demanding.”
The message to staff comes amid claims against MasterChef Gregg Wallace, pictured, who quit the show following allegations of misconduct
The new allegations have emerged with one woman claiming Wallace groped her, while another said he pressed his crotch against her while filming the BBC show Eat well for less
Director General Tim Davie’s (pictured) email said on Friday that they would support Banijay UK in their investigation
It continued: ‘It has been disturbing to hear allegations of unacceptable behavior by a presenter of BBC programs in recent days.
“We know that everyone who cares about the BBC takes these issues to heart.”
It continued: ‘We want everyone to know that you have our full support in raising any issues surrounding inappropriate behavior at work, and we encourage everyone to speak up if you see something that is wrong.
‘We know that speaking out takes courage; We want to assure you that we will always listen and take your concerns seriously. We will follow up on any allegations brought to us in accordance with our established complaints and whistleblowing procedures.”
The message from bosses added: ‘Regarding the latest issues on MasterChef, we will be supporting Banijay UK – the programme’s producers – in completing their research.
‘It is vital that every part of the BBC upholds our values, including where businesses work with us.
“We will not tolerate behavior that does not meet the standards we expect and we will continue to advocate for a culture that is kind, inclusive and respectful.”
It further added that the BBC is working with trade unions and bodies such as the Creative Industries Independent Standards Authority (CIISA) ‘to improve the experience for people working on productions, including freelancers’.
This week the Beeb announced it would be pulling a Celebrity MasterChef Christmas Cook Off special and a MasterChef Strictly Christmas special from its December TV schedules amid the controversy.
At the start of the week, Wallace apologized for claiming complaints about his behavior had come from “a handful of middle-class women of a certain age,” adding that he will “take a time out.”
At the start of the week, Wallace apologized for claiming complaints about his behavior had come from “a handful of middle-class women of a certain age”, adding that he would be “taking some time off”.
His lawyers have previously strongly denied that he is guilty of sexually harassing behavior, according to BBC News.
Fellow TV chief James Martin has taken the lead in the race to replace Wallace.
The 52-year-old first appeared on screens in 1999 and hosted Saturday Kitchen for ten years from 2006.
However, Martin himself faced his own allegations of bullying in 2023.
He swore 42 times as he launched a foul-mouthed tirade at his TV crew in 2018, shortly after his shock cancer diagnosis, with an extraordinary recording of the moment leaked online.
Afterwards, the Mail exclusively revealed he could be axed by ITV after senior bosses were left furious by his behaviour.
However, he continued to host his morning show and survived the scandal, and is now in pole position to join John Torode on MasterChef.
Earlier this week, Banijay UK said in a statement: ‘It is important to note that MasterChef’s wellbeing processes are regularly updated and reinforced and there are clear protocols in place to support both crew and employees.
‘This includes several ways to report problems, including anonymously. HR contact details are promoted and employees are allocated a contact person who is available to discuss any issues or concerns.”
